Jasper's Golden Moon
by NusiainForks
Summary: These are several chapters of my story, Golden Moon, told from Jasper's POV. The chapters will not make sense if you haven't read Golden Moon. Rating for language and adult themes - not lemons.
1. Of Vampires and Women Chap 30 part 1

**This is Part 1 of Chapter 30 from my story Golden Moon, told in Jasper's POV. If you haven't read Golden Moon, this will not make any sense – sorry! **

**Also, unlike Bella's version of Golden Moon, which is rated T, this chapter has an M rating for language, adult themes and situations. Don't get too excited – this is not a lemonade stand! But Jasper is a guy so you've been warned. **

**Thanks, as always, to ****IdreamofEddy, bbwhisperer, Calliope Jones, and mmsimpy09, ****the ladies who help me keep it real and preview the chapters to make sure the final product is enjoyable for all of you. **

**All the Twilight characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

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Chapter 30: Of Vampires and Women – Part 1

**Jasper's POV**

Watching Bella eat her dessert was an immensely satisfying experience. Her face, so wonderfully expressive, showed every moment of her enjoyment. I stared at her as much as I thought I could without making her uncomfortable and marveled at the bizarre turn of events. Somehow this slip of a human girl cracked open my vampire façade and reached somewhere deep inside me to re-start my heart - figuratively, if not literally. And while tonight I told her how I felt about her on an emotional and intellectual level, there was no denying that she affected me physically as well.

When she finished eating, we positioned ourselves on the sofa so that I sat with my legs stretched out along its length, leaning against one of the arms, and she sat between my legs, her back pressed against my chest. Her scent, her unbelievably fucking delicious, alluring scent, wafted into my nostrils and made my throat burn hotter than it had since I was a newborn, yet I couldn't get enough. I briefly wondered where this new masochistic personality trait was coming from – I actually craved the pain brought on by her proximity.

I placed a couple of pillows between our bodies, both to make her warmer and more comfortable, and to eliminate direct physical contact between us. I was thinking about the other two times today when my attraction to her threatened to make me decidedly too uncomfortable. The last thing she needed tonight, of all nights, was to feel the physical manifestation of my desire for her as she was trying to rest. No matter how difficult it might be, I had to hide the base side of my nature until she was ready to know that part of me.

She leaned against me and we briefly discussed our musical preferences before she drifted off to sleep. Taking care not to wake her, I ran my fingers lightly up and down her arm and watched the steady, rhythmic rise of her chest as she slept. I saw the fascinating rapid eye movements behind her closed eyelids and was amazed by the gorgeous smile gracing her lips.

And then she started to talk. At first it was just incomprehensible gibberish and small moans, but as she fell into deeper sleep she began to talk in earnest. I listened as she called out my name. I had heard her talk in her sleep all those nights on the phone, but none of that compared to experiencing it in person. I suddenly understood why Edward had felt compelled to spend as many nights as he could with her, despite the physical discomfort it caused him.

Based on the accompanying moans, the sensuous expression on her face, and the slightly musky change in her scent, I could easily picture what she was dreaming about. I was grateful for the pillows between us serving their intended barrier function, as her subconscious arousal prompted my instinctive response. I wanted so badly to touch her, to kiss her, to do everything I imagined she experienced in her dreams, but I knew it would be wrong. Wrong not just because she had so trustingly fallen asleep in my presence and my violation of that trust would be unpardonable, but also because I knew that neither one of us wanted to tarnish our first physical encounter with the guilt we would both feel if we acted before I resolved my relationship with Alice. So I ignored my close to overwhelming sexual need and forced myself to think about the only topic that could sufficiently douse my Bella fantasies – I thought about my impending talk with Alice.

As fearless as I have ever been in battle, the thought of facing Alice to let her know of the change in my feelings for her absolutely terrified me. The terror wasn't tempered in the slightest by the fact that she would be prepared, would know what I would say before I could even open my mouth. More than anything else I was terrified of causing Alice permanent harm. In our world the bond between mates was one of the most resilient, indestructible attachments, and breaking that bond could have far-reaching effects.

I wasn't worried for myself – I knew I was strong enough to withstand the pain even without the promise of a future with Bella. I wasn't as certain about Alice and it was this doubt that was most frightening. I never, ever meant for Alice to be the injured party, never wanted to be the one to hurt her. She had waited for me, found me in one of my darkest hours, and then loved me unconditionally despite my physical scars and my weaknesses and limitations. I did not deserve her and she most certainly did not deserve what I was about to do to her.

And yet, despite all that, I knew there was no other way. I was no longer the man she met all those years ago. In just a few short weeks Bella showed me a man I thought was long dead. A man who could make decisions, could plan, could exercise self-control, could surprise, could make romantic gestures, could make another tremble with anticipation. I could never be that man around Alice. Her special ability, the same ability that brought us together in the first place, was now driving us apart. Her knowledge of everything I was about to say or do before I was able to say or do it, once so welcome, was now repugnant to me. Bella had innocently suggested that Alice could change, but she didn't understand. The chasm that I now saw between me and my mate consisted of more than just her disinterest in any of the things that mattered to me. It was also filled with that power – her power to know everything before it happened, robbing me of free choice. Even if she could hide her visions from me, I would know that she was anticipating my every action, and I would never be able to reconcile myself to that again.

Of course I could be noble, self sacrificing. I could deny my feelings for Bella and go back to Alice and the rest of the Cullens, grit my teeth and try to pretend that nothing had changed. But that wasn't me. I didn't believe in nobility, self-sacrifice or needless suffering. Besides, no mater what I did, Alice would certainly sense the changes in me. And Edward, if he ever re-joined the family, would be able to read the changes in my thoughts. And undoubtedly I would be unable to keep my own depression to myself any more than I had been able to following Bella's birthday party, so the whole family would be impacted negatively by my feelings again. No. Going back simply wasn't an option anymore. I meant what I told Bella earlier – I would much rather live alone now than to go back and be the weak, depressed freak of the Cullen Coven.

Now that I knew what needed to be done, the course was set. There was no changing my mind. I only wondered what to expect form Alice and the other Cullenswhen I informed them of my decision. Would Alice accept my betrayal with the grace I knew she was capable of, break down, or try to kill me in her fury? Most people only saw the happy-go-lucky side of Alice, but I knew the other side, the side that could not accept her will thwarted. And I knew that in a fight she could be vicious and relentless. Despite her special abilities, I was sure a fight between us would be equal, perhaps even skewed a bit in my favor, given my extensive experience. But if any of the Cullens stood with her, I would havea problem. Under those circumstances running would be my only hope of survival, and I had to prepare myself for that very real possibility. It wouldn't be my finest hour, but I knew from experience that in battle survival was more important than heroism or false courage. The main point of any battle was to live so you could fight another day. I would have to prepare for flight, have contingency plans and getaway vehicles in place.

Bella shifted in my arms and murmured, "Kiss me, Jasper. Just like that," distracting me from my planning. It was all I could do not to comply with her subconscious demand. It was absolutely maddening how much I wanted her naked beneath me, moaning my name as I filled her every need. But that was impossible, not just because of Alice, but because she was so human, so damn fragile. I didn't know how Edward had been able to resist her as long as he had and I certainly didn't understand his refusal to even consider turning her into a vampire, despite her stated desire to become one. After the Alice situation was resolved, Bella would only have to ask me to turn her once and I would happily oblige. I would nurse and guide her through her newborn year and be rewarded with the most fucking spectacular mate in the vampire world. Until then, I would just have to take care of myself to make sure Bella wasn't harmed. It was a small price to pay for an eternity of happiness and satisfaction.

I heard a knock on the door from the wheelhouse and turned to see the chef walk in timidly. Seeing us on the sofa, Bella fast asleep, the man started to apologize. I cut him off with a wave of my hand and raised an eyebrow at him in silent question.

"The Captain wanted me to let you know that we were almost in Port Townsend, sir."

I thanked him and, holding Bella steady with my arms, slipped my legs out from under her. I laid her down gently on the sofa, getting up to gather our things. I packed the sketch and the Caramello bar into her book bag. I had hoped to feed her the chocolate tonight, but it would have to wait. I placed Bella's jacket in her bag as well, wearing my own jacket to avoid having another thing to carry. I heard the yacht enter the slip and leaned down to lift Bella in my arms. She stretched and snuggled up to my chest. I held her close, relishing the contact. This whole day had been so much better than I had any right to expect or hope for. Ending it with Bella in my arms, however briefly, was as perfect as it could get.

As I carried Bella off the yacht, I paused to quietly thank the captain for his services and inform him of the gratuity I had left inside for him and the crew. Bella shifted in my arms, gripping my sweater in her hand to pull herself closer to me and murmuring "You smell soooo good." The captain winked and I couldn't keep the self-satisfied grin off my face. It was good to know I wasn't the only one with an olfactory obsession.

I got Bella settled in the passenger seat, buckling her in just in case. The odds of us being in an accident were virtually nonexistent, but with Bella's unnatural attraction for disaster, I didn't want to take any chances. It was late and the roads were deserted. With Bella asleep, as soon as we left Port Townsend I was able to really open up the R8 to her full capabilities. She purred beneath me as we flew back to Forks. Once again I congratulated myself on procuring this amazing machine. Nothing could touch her – not even Edward's Vanquish. Hell, even Bella admired this beauty.

Thinking how turned on Bella had been earlier today by the car and the sight of me driving only succeeded in getting me hard again. I cursed my stupid mind for going places it knew better than to go and my ridiculous, sudden lack of self control for making me react like a pubescent teenager. I loved spending the whole day with Bella and I understood why we had to be platonic. I didn't even mind being platonic, since that part of our relationship was so different from anything I've experienced before, it completely blew my mind. But this other driving need had to be satisfied too. I knew damn well it wasn't going to go away on its own. With a sigh, I resigned myself to another shower 'date with Manuela', snickering at the completely ridiculous euphemism. It wasn't so bad, really. It's not like I didn't know what I was doing. And it was only a temporary situation. Remembering Bella's reactions and responses to the few relatively innocent things I'd said and done so far, I knew she'd be amazing in bed. If nothing else, I was a good judge of those types of reactions. And anything that fucking good was well worth the wait.

She was still sleeping when we got home. I transferred her and her bag back to her truck and drove to her house. I parked a couple of blocks away and gently ran my hand over her face to wake her slowly without startling her. Finally she opened her eyes and looked around, clearly disoriented.

"It's time to wake up, Darlin'," I said. "You have to get home by curfew."

It took her a while to focus. When it finally looked like she recognized where she was, I helped her move from the passenger side to the driver's side. I made sure she was okay to drive the rest of the way, reminded her to call me, and watched as she pulled into her driveway and walked into the house.

I ran home as fast as I could, wanting to be there when she called. I knew she was exhausted, so I didn't bother trying to talk to her. Instead I told her goodnight and sang "I don't want to miss a thing" by Aerosmith. It was the perfect song for the night. I had loved watching her sleep and I sure as hell hated to miss even a second of her life. I briefly wondered how the hell it was possible for me to fall for a woman so fast, so hard and so completely, but then decided that my feelings really weren't worth dissecting. She was now the center of my universe and nothing else compared. End of story.

I could hear that she fell asleep before I was even done with the first verse of the song, but I finished singing anyway. Afterwards I grabbed some fresh clothes and headed for the shower. I took off my earpiece, put the phone on mute, and switched it to speaker mode in case she started talking in her sleep again. I turned on the water, not caring about the temperature, and stepped into the shower. I was already painfully hard just thinking about her, so I knew I'd be able to take care of things quickly, especially now that I had more raw fantasy material to work with. I didn't need to leave much to my imagination as I began with smooth, easy strokes. I just focused on how amazing her body looked that first night I spoke to her on the phone when she surprised the shit out of me by changing in her bedroom instead of the bathroom, giving me an unannounced free show. I combined the images with the sounds she made tonight after she fell asleep, the memory of the feel of her in my arms and the musky aroma of her arousal. The thought of her scent really got me going and my stroke rate rapidly increased. A couple more visualizations of her gorgeous eyes and luscious lips, and I was spent. I didn't mind the short duration. I wasn't looking for a one hand love affair. This was more about release than desire, just something to quell my basic need. Hopefully it was enough to keep me in control when she came over tomorrow.

I washed up, stepped out of the shower, toweled off and got dressed. No longer distracted, I could finally properly focus on going over my day with Bella. It had been beyond unbelievable, beyond my most optimistic expectations. I thoroughly reveled in her total enjoyment of every activity, her willingness to trust me completely, and that look in her eyes every time she looked at me. Fuck! That look was everything! No one had ever looked at me that way and I could swear she had never looked that way at anyone else.

I'd seen the way she had looked at Edward – the puppy dog devotion and awe. It made me sick at the time. I didn't understand what he had ever done to deserve it. Thinking about it now, I wondered if I wanted her to look at me that way?

But that's not the way she looked at me and I didn't miss it, because the way she looked at me was so much better! She looked at me with complete understanding, faith, confidence and regard. It sounded trite to even think it, but she made me want to be a better man. And more than that, she made me a better man by helping me see my potential through her eyes. It was fucking amazing! I've never experienced anything like it and knew she was the only person in the world who could make me feel that way. She was like a precious gift, a talisman. And, most unbelievable of all, she actually felt the same way about me that I felt about her! If I had any choice in the matter, I would never let her out of my sight.

I silently thanked Edward again for being too damn stupid to hold on to a good thing when he found it. He tossed her away like a rag doll, ostensibly out of love, ostensibly for her own good. Edward had many redeeming values, but the sick fuck didn't know shit about what real love was. Thank God I was here to help her keep it together and claim her as my own. I wouldn't make the same mistakes Edward made. I would be sure to love, cherish, respect, support and protect her for the rest of my days. And God help him if he ever tried to come back to remedy his mistake. Now that she chose me, he would get her back one way and one way only – over my dead body.

I realized that standing in the bathroom staring at my own reflection was not going to do me much good. I needed to hunt so that I could safely see Bella tomorrow. I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt to a ¾ length, fitted the earpiece, turned the speaker off and secured the phone in my back pocket. If tonight was like all the other nights, Bella would sleep straight through to the morning, but I needed to be there for her if for whatever reason she woke up. Plus, I loved hearing her say my name in her sleep. There was absolutely nothing else I loved hearing more.

Out of the house I took a good whiff of the air and listened intently. All the woodland creatures were out in full force, but I was listening for larger game. Across the river I could smell a faint scent of elk. The herd must have passed though several hours ago, but I knew I could still follow them. I turned and broke into an easy run.

Much as I hated the smell and taste of animal blood, I actually enjoyed the hunt. It was more of a challenge to hunt for animals. Humans were too easy – they almost never put up true resistance. An animal could not be seduced by a Vampire's looks, scent or charm – they had to be caught and often fought. I loved the fight when it came along. It revitalized me, reminded me of the days when I was a soldier, a leader, a strategist, instead of the Cullens' weakest link. Only now, with Bella, I didn't feel that way anymore. She made me feel strong and controlled. I loved it and loved her for it. But I still enjoyed a good turbulent hunt.

The elk trail was leading me closer and closer to the reservation border. I just fucking hoped they hadn't crossed onto Quileute land before I had a chance to take a couple down. I slowed, wanting to prolong the chase just in case it ended in disappointment.

Suddenly my nostrils were filled with a disgusting new scent, a scent I recognized from a week ago, but that I couldn't place otherwise. It was a warm-blooded carnivore, of that I was certain, but I couldn't say anything beyond that. Curious, I abandoned the elk trail and followed the new scent. It was definitely coming form across the border. I had absolutely no intention of breaking the Quileute treaty, but it wouldn't be a violation of the treaty to go right up to the border, so I continued on the path towards the stench.

Halfway there I picked up another 3 odors, similar to the first, yet unique. So there were more of them. I wondered what "they" would turn out to be. I proceeded cautiously. I knew that nothing in the animal kingdom could come close to threatening me, but something about this scent made me edgy. I debated whether to stay on the ground or to move into the trees and decided that being up higher would give me greater visibility. Using every stealth stalking skill I learned in Maria's service, I climbed into the nearest tree until I was approximately 20 feet off the ground. At this height the limbs on the old growth trees were still able to support my weight easily and I could move silently from tree to tree as easily as if I were traversing along the ground.

I moved towards the reservation border as I scanned the ground below. The strange odors were stronger now, and I knew I was getting close to their source, just over the invisible line into the Quileute reservation. Before I could see them, I heard their soft panting and the pads of their paws softly striking the moss-covered forest floor. The sound told me they were moving slowly in a close formation, coming from the south.

I trained my eyes on the spot where I expected them to emerge from the verdant underbrush. I sat absolutely still, holding my breath, sound serving as my only data reference. Finally, a few seconds later, I saw movement and glimpsed short canine fur. Wolves?

I was shocked. In the years that we have been living in Forks none of us had seen any wolves. And by the sound of them these were no ordinary wolves. The pressure they exerted on the ground and the height of the moving vegetation indicated beasts the size of small to medium bears. Puzzled, I kept watching the underbrush and was finally rewarded when they emerged, nearly simultaneously.

There were four of them. The largest, a black beast, held the point position. To his left stood a slightly shorter deep gray colored wolf and, next to him, one with gray black-spotted fur. The wolf to the left of the black was brown. Though they varied slightly in size in relation to one another, these were by far the largest wolves I had ever seen, unnaturally large. And suddenly I knew. These were not ordinary wolves. These were the Quileute shape shifting werewolf warriors, the protectors of the Quileute tribe whose chief, many years ago, made the peace treaty with Carlisle and established the boundary line none of us had ever crossed.

I remembered Bella telling me about Sam Uley knowing I was back, about seeing me near the border, and I remembered the last time I came across this strange odor. That day I hadn't bothered to investigate, but he must have seen me hunting and reported my whereabouts to the tribe. I looked over the four werewolves, wondering which one of them was Sam.

Though I had been nearly silent in my approach and sat absolutely still in the tree, my presence did not escape the wolves' attention. All four pairs of wolf eyes were trained on me. The deep gray wolf stood with his teeth bared, a continuous menacing growl emanating from his throat. Since my element of surprise was lost, I decided there was no point remaining in my treetop location. I jumped to the ground and walked a few steps closer to the border.

Seeing my leap, the wolves all crouched, ready to attack. I held out my hands to indicate lack of violent intentions, while simultaneously sending them a wave of calm and serenity. They whined as they found themselves unable to formulate the aggression necessary to mount an attack. They tried to bear their teeth but it now looked more laughable than menacing.

"I'm Jasper Hale, member of the coven of Carlisle Cullen. I am here, on Cullen land, and I fully intend to honor the treaty made by Carlisle with your ancestors. In return, I demand that you honor your part of the treaty. Respect the boundary line and keep our secret from the humans."

I tried to gauge the reactions in their eyes, especially in the eyes of the large black wolf. There was no friendliness there, but there was understanding. I stopped sending the calming waves and waited for a response. The deep gray wolf immediately resumed his aggressive stance, but a look from the black wolf quieted him immediately. The black wolf turned to me and let out one sharp bark. Then, without a single other sound exchanged between them, the wolves backed away from me into the underbrush, until they were invisible even to my vampire eyes.

I backed away from the border as well, unsure whether I could entirely trust my interpretation of the lead wolf's bark. I sensed the pack's hostility as the wolves left, though I didn't sense deception. I picked up the elk scent trail again and headed in the direction of the herd, but my mind stayed with the wolves. I wondered who they were and if I saw the whole pack or just a subgroup? How long had they been around? I found it hard to believe that they could have been around a long time without me or someone else in the family noticing. Their stench was so distinctive, one of us would have gotten curious long before now. Of course, if they stayed away from the border, we may not have been able to smell or see them on the reservation.

When the Cullens told Alice and me about the Quileute treaty and the werewolves, they always assumed that the wolves died out with Ephraim Black and his contemporaries. While Carlisle insisted that we continue to comply with the treaty, no one seriously thought that we would run into the werewolves again. This was big news, and if any other member of the family had intentions to come back to Forks any time soon, I would have called them to let them know immediately. But since I knew it would be years before any of them returned, I figured I could wait to tell them when I went up to Alaska to see Alice.

I sniffed the air again, noticing that the elk scent was getting stronger. I paused to listen, and I heard the sounds of the elk munching on some ground cover, approximately two miles up ahead. Dragging up a mental picture of our land and the reservation border, I calculated that the herd would span the boundary. If I got there fast enough, I could easily down one or two animals that remained on Cullen land.

I sprinted towards the elk. They never saw me coming. The biggest buck was safe on the Quileute side of the border, so I had to settle for a mature doe. I grabbed her by the neck, carefully avoiding her kicking hooves and thrashing head. I twisted her neck with my hands and bit into her jugular. The disgusting blood satisfied the need for nourishment, but did little to quench the real thirst. I drained the doe and ran after a young buck fleeing deeper into Cullen territory. Although he was more prepared for me and put up more of a fight, I dealt with him almost as quickly and as efficiently as I had with the doe. I was nearly done draining him when, suddenly, a breeze blew a hint of a scent in my direction.

I froze. Fuck! It couldn't be! I flipped the buck over and sniffed his hind leg. It was faint, barely there, but also unmistakable. The scent of another vampire, a vampire I had met, a vampire whose intentions for visiting Forks were still unclear – Laurent.

Fuck, Fuck, FUCK! My mind filled with frantic thoughts. The scent was so light it must have come from him brushing against the buck as he was hunting. It could have happened any time. Hours ago. I hadn't come across his scent trail so it must have happened miles form here as well. There was no telling where the fucker was now. Oh God! Bella's house?

I dropped the buck and ran faster than I ever had before. I doubted even Edward would have been able to catch me tonight. I could hear Bella's even breaths in my earpiece, so I knew that she was all right, for now. But Laurent could arrive at her house any moment – I had to get there before he did!

I briefly contemplated waking her up and letting her know what was happening, but that would only frighten her and there was nowhere safe for her to go. Better to let her sleep and just pray that I got to her before the nomad.

Bella filled my mind. I smelled her delicious scent, heard her heartbeat and the blood rushing through her veins, saw each and every one of her pulse points, all the things that would be so attractive to any vampire. I wondered how committed Laurent was to the vegetarian lifestyle he adopted while staying with Tanya's family in Denali. If he got to Bella first, would it help stop him long enough for me to get there and rip him to shreds?

I berated myself for being so careless, for not paying more attention. Some fucking protector I turned out to be. I hadn't even taken the time to work out a game plan of what we would do when this happened. And it's not like I didn't know that it was going to happen. Alice had given me plenty of advance notice. I was such an incompetent bastard.

I was finally reaching the edge of the forest near Bella's house. I still hadn't passed Laurent's scent trail and I began to hope. He didn't know where Bella lived – only Victoria and James had actually been to her house. It could be that he was still miles away and unable to track her here. If I was right, it would give me time to plan, time to figure out how to tell Bella that her worse nightmare was coming true.

I ran up to and all around Bella's house. Still no vampire scent other than my own. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. What fucking relief! She was safe, and I would stay here to make sure that she remained that way.

I made my way back to the forest and climbed up into the trees. I found a lookout point high enough that I had a perfect view of the house and the surrounding area. No one could come within 20 feet of the house without me seeing them. I cursed myself for wearing such light colored clothing – I was sticking out like a sore thumb. My only hope of Laurent's not detecting me would be if he didn't bother to look up.

It was time to plan. While Laurent was in the area I could not leave Bella. She would have to tell me where she was at all times and I would have to figure out a way to guard her. I thought about the places in Forks where she absolutely had to be: School, work, and home. I would have to ask her not to go anywhere else in the coming week, not to deviate from the plan.

Fuck! I suddenly realized that she was planning to go to La Push Sunday morning. I couldn't let her do that. I couldn't let her go to the one place in the vicinity of Forks where all my skills and talents were useless because I was not allowed to be there. She'd have to make an excuse, get out of it somehow. Shit! I knew she had been looking forward to the outing and, as much as I hated the thought of her cooking for Jacob, I hated to deny her something that obviously brought her so much pleasure. Damn Jacob! I could just imagine him suffering from the worst case of puppy love.

_Wait a second_. _Puppy love?_ Suddenly going to La Push didn't seem like a bad idea. Those damn werewolves existed to protect people on their reservation from vampires. As long as Bella was in La Push, she would be safe without me having to watch her. Hell, if I got lucky I could catch that bastard before she got back and I might get away with not having to tell her anything. And if I didn't catch her I would simply meet her at the reservation border as she was coming back and I would explain everything to her in my house.

For the rest of the night I planned. I liked the particular lookout point I had selected tonight and knew that this would be my recognizance post at Bella's house. I picture Forks High school and settled on a decent observation post just off the school grounds. Finally I determined where I would hide in order to watch Bella while she was working at the store. As long as she didn't deviate from plan, she would be safe and sound.

There was still no sign of Laurent as dawn broke. I had gone through my plan countless times in my head, making sure nothing was left to chance. I was so fucking absorbed in my thoughts, I didn't even realize Bella was up, until I heard a buzzing in the background and Bella said "Good Morning."

"Hello, Bella. Did you sleep well?" I couldn't believe I had been distracted enough to let her catch me off guard, making my morning greeting unnatural.

"Is everything all right?" She asked, sounding anxious. She already sensed something was wrong. _Get your shit together, Whitlock! Be the fucking stone-cold warrior that she needs right now. _

"Everything's fine. When are you leaving for La Push?"

"Half an hour. I just need to shower, get dressed and get all the food together."

I got a flash image of Bella in the shower before I chased the thought away, forcing my concentration back on the task at hand.

"Good. You're going directly there, right? No stops?" I was pretty sure there would be no reason for her to stop anywhere, but in these situations it was best not to assume. Knowledge helped anticipate problems and correctly anticipating and planning for problems was the key to winning any conflict.

"Right," I could hear the suspicion in her voice. "Jasper, what's going on?"

Damn, but she was perceptive. It was almost as difficult to hide things form her as it was for others to hide things from me.

"I'll tell you about it when I see you later, I promise. Right now I don't want to make you late. You'd better go and get ready, all right?" I hated telling her to go, hated not being able to talk to her more, but the more we said the more likely I was to reveal something, and I didn't want her scared right now. I needed to tell her when I was with her, so I could help her if she needed it.

"Okay," she said hesitantly. "You will explain later, right?"

"Of course, Darlin'," I tried to sound as reassuring as I could. "Just trust me for now. I'll see you soon."

"See you soon," I barely heard her as I turned off the phone. I was already planning the route I would take to trail her and Charlie to La Push. Then, while she was safe on the reservation, I would head out to see if I could scare up Laurent.

**To Be Continued.**

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So, what did you think? Did Jasper live up to your expectations? Leave a review and let me know!


	2. Of Vampires and Women Chap 30 part 2

**This is Part 2 of Chapter 30 from my story Golden Moon, told in Jasper's POV. **

**Sorry it took me so long to post this – I guess I took that summer vacation thing a little too seriously. That plus I found that Jasper kind of, sort of abandoned me – maybe he's taking a vacation as well? Oh, and pretty much all the good stuff from this chapter was already included in Part 1. I finished this because I said I would, but I can't say it's my finest work. Still, now that it's done I can move to the three JPOV chapters selected on the readers. Those will be posted throughout the rest of the summer, which officially ends in late September ;-)**

**Oh, and the voting for the Bellies, the Razzle Dazzle Awards and the Sparkle Awards is now open. To see what Golden Moon has been nominated for and where to vote, check out the links on my profile. And thank you, as always, for your support of Golden Moon! I really appreciate it!**

**All the Twilight characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

_"See you soon," I barely heard her as I turned off the phone. I was already planning the route I would take to trail her and Charlie to La Push. Then, while she was safe on the reservation, I would head out to see if I could scare up Laurent._

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Chapter 30: Of Vampires and Women – Part 2

As I followed Bella and Charlie to the reservation border I thought of all the things I would have to do today in preparation for the time ahead. I didn't want to have to call in reinforcements from the Cullens, but if I failed to find Laurent this morning I couldn't go on protecting Bella from him by myself indefinitely. As a bodyguard instead of a hunter, my options would be limited. I would have to wait for the threat to come to Bella, rather than seeking Laurent out where a fight would be less conspicuous and less dangerous for her. Was this a mistake? Should I call Emmett and maybe even Carlisle right now? Was I being selfish in not wanting to do anything to remind Bella of the rest of the family? Of Alice? Of Edward?

I was absolutely terrified of letting Bella come into contact with any of the Cullens. I knew she felt strongly about me now, but would her feelings persist in the face of Emmett and Carlisle, especially if they expressed disapproval about our relationship? Bella was always so close to them, so much closer to them than she had been to me, would she be able to refuse if they asked her to leave me for the good of the family? Fuck! I knew that my thoughts were wrong, that I should have more faith in the strength of her emotions. And yet I also knew that I would make whatever sacrifices I needed to make in order to keep her with me and away from any influences that might cause her to change her mind about me. So even if I didn't find the fucker today, I'd wait to call Emmett for help. I'd give it a week. Any more than that would be placing an unfair restriction on her and her activities, and I couldn't do that to her. But Laurent wouldn't hang out around Forks forever, and hopefully a week would be long enough to flush him out.

I tried to approach my hunt for Laurent methodically. Since I didn't find any of his scent around our house, I went back to the other place where we had interacted: the baseball meadow. I rounded the meadow in successively larger circles, but I found absolutely no trace of the nomad. My level of frustration increased exponentially – without knowing more about him and what he could possibly be thinking, this was like looking for a needle in a damn haystack.

As I searched, my mind kept going over other items that had to be taken care of before Bella's return. I contacted the seller of the pinball machine I had purchased on-line and instructed him to delay delivery until I gave word. He already had the money so he was only too happy to oblige, especially when I offered to pay an additional storage fee for his trouble. I also catalogued the items I would have to pack and take with me from the house, knowing that I wouldn't be able to leave Bella long enough to re-stock. Obviously I hoped we would not have to wait the entire week, but I had to be prepared for that possibility.

Finally giving up on the meadow, I ran to the spot where I first spotted the trail of the elk that held Laurent's scent. I hoped that following the herd trail in the opposite direction it had taken last night would eventually lead me to a point where Laurent and the herd intersected, but the trail became too weak and impossible to follow before I could find what I was seeking. I didn't let my frustration get in the way of my tracking methodology, but as time wore on I knew that the likelihood of successfully eliminating the threat without having to let Bella know about it was rapidly evaporating. Soon I reached a time when I had to return to the reservation border. I took out my anger on a young pine, obliterating it in lieu of Laurent before I dashed back to intercept Bella.

I waited for her near the road sign marking the boundary of Quileute land. I heard her truck coming down the road from miles away, before I could even see it. I stood up, making myself more visible. She seemed distracted, but eventually she saw me and pulled over.

I got into the truck on the passenger side.

"Jasper, what's wrong? Why are you here? What if someone sees us together?" She asked nervously. I was pissed as hell that I had to cause her anxiety.

"I'll explain everything later. For now let's just drive to my house." I tried to be as reassuring as I could. It must have worked, because she pulled back onto the road.

"Hey, Darlin', it's good to see you. You look beautiful." I reached for her hand as I complimented her and was rewarded by that lovely blush spreading across her cheeks. I loved the feel of her warm hand in mine and I loved that I could please her this much with just a few simple words. I couldn't blush, but I felt just as great when she returned the compliment, especially when I saw that her sidelong examination of me actually made her shiver.

I knew I needed to keep her talking about something other than why I felt the need to wait for her at the border, so for lack of any other safe topics, I asked her about brunch. She told me she and Jacob Black had argued about me. I could see she regretted saying anything the instant the words left her lips, but by then it was, of course, too late. I couldn't hide my irritation as I asked why she was talking about me with him.

"He figured out that I spent the day with you yesterday and he. . . . he didn't approve," she said. Now I was really getting fucking annoyed. First of all, how had he figured out that we'd spent the day together? Where was this kid getting his information? And second, why did he feel it was any of his business whom Bella spent time with? If this Quileute child thought he could plant ideas and doubts in her head in order to stake his own claim he would quickly find that I did not take kindly to anyone upsetting Bella or trying to horn in on my woman.

"I wasn't aware we needed his approval," I couldn't keep the venom from my voice.

"He sort of sees me as a sister, so he's very protective." She sounded as though she really believed it.

"A sister, huh?" I snorted, marveling at her naiveté. I didn't for one moment believe any male who had another option would see Bella as a sister. It was a good cover for him, though, I had to admit. It allowed him to get close without raising her suspicion, until he was ready to pounce. I tried to keep my right hand out of Bella's view as it curled into a tight fist. The immense fury I felt at the though of another man, or even a boy like Jacob Black, being anywhere near my Bella, was astounding. I had never felt anything like it before and I knew I had to keep it well hidden from her so as not to send her running from me in horror.

"Yes, a sister. He doesn't like the fact that you're Edward's brother and that you're not . . . single." I thought about this for a second. The kid knew how to play this game, I had to give him that. Even I couldn't argue with his logic.

"I suppose he's right about that, so I guess I could see why he would be concerned."

"It's none of his business," she said under her breath, clearly displeased with my recognition of the truth behind his concern.

I considered letting it drop, but it was more important to be honest with her than to humor her. I knew in the end she would appreciate honesty more.

"If I had to choose someone worthy of you, Bella, I wouldn't exactly pick me either. You deserve so much more." This was definitely the truth. She deserved the best man on earth, not a flawed monster like me. But I knew that I would forever do everything in my power to make her happy, and that would have to be enough, because I sure as hell was not going to let her go even if she did deserve better.

"Stop it. Stop treating me like I'm not smart enough to know what I want or what's good for me."

She was really angry now. Damn. I hadn't counted on that. I realized that my statement must have hit some sort of a sensitive spot. I racked my brain for what would have provoked that reaction. Then I remembered how Edward always treated her like he knew what was best for her better than she did. From stupid things like whether or not she should go to prom, to leaving her for her own safety. Dumb fuck. I was once again amazed by how emotionally stunted Edward had been. A century in the company of other vampires had done nothing to mature his 17-year-old know-it-all mindset. Well, I sure as hell wasn't Edward, and I needed to let her know it.

"No, Bella. That's not what I'm doing. If I had to choose someone for you I might select someone different, but I'm smart enough to recognize that I have no say in your choice, and I'm damn glad. Because as I told you last night, I'm extremely selfish, and I'm absolutely thrilled your definition of who's good enough for you is different from mine."

My speech was rewarded with an instant mood shift and her gorgeous smile. I was still amazed how much this girl could make me feel with just that one expression.

"Good," she said as she pulled up to the house, "because as Jacob recognized earlier today, I'm as stubborn as they get and none of you will be able to change my mind. I made my choice and I'm absolutely convinced I chose the perfect man for me."

I didn't know what to say. The perfect man for her. Is that really how she saw me? And if it was, then that was all that mattered, wasn't it? I would gladly spend eternity showing her just how perfect for her I could be, starting right now, with protecting her from the imminent danger posed by Laurent. As soon as the truck stopped I ran over to open her door, help her out and hugged her tightly. I needed her now more than I've ever needed anything in my life and she had agreed to be mine! All I had to do to have exactly what I wanted and needed was to protect her and keep her with me forever.

We walked back to the house together. For some unknown reason I locked the front door behind us, hoping she hadn't noticed. I knew damn well a door lock was not going to stop Laurent or any other vampire, but it might give me an extra second of lead time, just enough to be an advantage in preparation for an attack.

"All right. No more stalling," she said with surprising authority after we settled in on the living room sofa. "I need to know what's happening,"

This was it, I thought. It was time to be completely honest with her. But how the hell could I tell her everything without completely terrifying her? How could I convince her that I had the situation under control? I grabbed both of her hands to offer her extra support if she needed it. Oh, who the hell was I kidding? I needed the physical contact as much as, if not more than, she did.

"I know I said I would leave for Alaska this afternoon," I said, "but there's been a slight change of plans." This was the hardest fucking part about this bastard arriving when he did. Not that I wanted to leave her, but I needed to put an end to my relationship with Alice so that I could give all of myself to Bella. I felt how important that was to her. It was the only thing she had asked of me. And now it was impossible for me to give her that as we faced another unbearable delay. I never realized how much of a difference a few extra days could mean to me, an immortal, but now that I knew I could be with her save for this one remaining barrier, minutes stretched into hours and days into years.

Confusion swept over her face as her brows drew together. Clearly suspicious, she asked what was going on. There was no avoiding the truth now.

"Last night, after I dropped you off, I went out hunting. It's what I usually do when you're sleeping. While I was out I crossed a familiar scent. It was Laurent, Bella. He's here." I tried as hard as I could to sound matter-of-fact. I didn't want her to pick up any cues from me to increase the fear I knew she would be feeling. Still, as careful as I was, I heard the erratic pattern of her heartbeat and watched the blood drain from her face. She was so fucking delicate! I wished more than anything that I could make her feel completely safe and secure. I squeezed her warm, fragile hands to remind her that I was here with her.

"As soon as I knew he was here I came over to your house and I've been watching you ever since. The only time you've been out of my sight is when you were at La Push, and there, well, I knew you would be safe there. I can't leave you alone to find him, but we know from Alice that he will come looking for you, and I'll be waiting for him when he does." I wanted so badly for her to believe me, to put her faith in me, to trust me to keep her safe.

She asked about the timing and I had to admit I didn't know. I hated not having the answer to that question, both for her and my sake. Still, I had to stay cool. I had to show her that this was routine, that I was perfectly comfortable in my role as her protector. I started telling her about the rules that I had come up with earlier.

"And you'll have to swear that you'll do as I ask, okay? It can't be like Phoenix. You'll have to trust me. Understand?"

She agreed, her voice small and hollow. I hoped she meant it. I saw my failure to keep track of her at the Phoenix airport as one of the biggest failures of my life, next only to attacking her on the night of her birthday. I should have known better than to let her go anywhere alone. I should have called for Alice. I should have . . . But this wasn't the time to re-hash old failures. I had to trust her to not try to work around the rules this time and I had to trust myself to do a better job of watching her. The whole fucking enterprise depended on our mutual trust.

"Bella, I know what I'm doing, remember? This is not a problem, just an inconvenience. Everything will be all right. Do you still trust me?"

"Yes," She sounded a bit more confident. I could tell she was still scared, but she did trust me.

"Okay. From now on you'll only go to the usual places. School, work, home. That's it. It will reduce the area I have to cover and help me find his scent if he crosses it. Make sense?"

I was worried about her reaction to this. It was absolutely vital that we restrict her movements, but confining her to those three locations would be hard on her mentally. I didn't even bother to tell her that it would be better if she didn't socialize with anyone outside of school. I hoped she would understand without me having to tell her that the fewer people around her, the easier it would be for me to protect her. I said a silent thanks when I saw her nod her head in agreement.

"I won't be able to see you again until I get him, so I want you to carry the phone with you at all times. Use it to tell me exactly where you're going or any other time you need to talk to me and I'll do the same. Agreed?"

I didn't think asking her to contact me by phone would be a problem, but I had a feeling she would be just as upset as me at the prospect of not being able to see each other. This was a time when I really fucking hated my weakness. Carlisle or Emmett wouldn't have any problem seeing her daily without hunting, but I still didn't trust myself and there was no way I was going to start experimenting now.

"What? Why? Why won't you be able to see me?" She was confused again, and tense. I had to make sure she understood I was not abandoning her, and that I didn't have a choice but to keep a distance between us. The best way to assure her was with the truth.

"I don't like it any more than you do, Darlin', but I won't be able to really hunt while I'm guarding you and it would just be too dangerous for me to be too close to you. I think I have enough control, but I'm not willing to take that chance. But we'll keep in touch. We'll talk. You might even be able to see me sometimes while we do. I just won't be able to get too close. You understand, right?" _Please, Darlin', please understand! This is exactly what I was talking about in the truck. You deserve a better man, but you're stuck with me. And I will get better for you, I swear. I'm already doing better, I just need more time . . ._

"I guess so. But you'll be so thirsty. What about other humans?" That was such a Bella response. Always thinking about everyone else. This compassionate side of her frustrated me to no end sometimes, but it also made her who she was, so I loved her for it too. To assuage her concerns I assured her that I could ignore other humans easier than her and that I would hunt smaller animals that would take the edge off while I waited. She seemed to accept this, and I moved on.

"So call me, please, as often as possible, 'cause I'll really be missing you. Okay?" I moved my hand to touch her warm cheek and relished her response as she rubbed her face into my hand. I felt her incredible sadness and wished there was something, anything I could do to make this situation better.

"I hate this, Jasper," she whispered. I clenched my jaw in frustration. After taking such a giant leap last night, this felt like yet another insurmountable roadblock. Still, I had to be strong for her.

"I know, Bella. Believe me, I know. I hate it too. But it's only temporary."

"What if it's not? How long can you do this without really hunting? What if you get really thirsty and he still hasn't shown?" she was asking al the right questions, the questions I dreaded answering. I wondered if any part of her sensed my fear. If she knew how much I would give for her to never see another Cullen again.

"I've thought about that. I'll give it a week. After that, I'll call Emmett. With the two of us here it should be easy work. He can guard you and I'll hunt Laurent down," The words rolled off easily. I was a trained liar, after all. It was small comfort that technically I wasn't actually lying except by omission. I was simply withholding that I wanted to delay calling in Emmett for my own selfish reasons.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I sensed feelings from her that didn't make any sense: fear mixed with pity, compassion, distaste and regret. I had no idea what could possibly be causing all of these contradictory feelings simultaneously.

"Do you have to kill him, Jasper? I mean, if he doesn't do anything bad. If he doesn't try to attack me or other humans. Maybe you could just give him a warning and scare him away?"

That explained it all. Her damn compassion always interfered with her sense of self-preservation! I couldn't believe she was actually suggesting that I let Laurent go. Did she think this was a fucking game? Even if he didn't try to attack her and hadn't yet returned to killing humans, it would be a fundamental strategic error to trust him and let him go to hunt and kill at will. And I was not in the habit of making strategic errors. Bella's safety was paramount, and I was not going to jeopardize it by relying on some desperate promise from a former blood drinking vampire that he was going to heed my warning and stay away. Still, I could tell that she would not be receptive to my calculations and strategy. I dropped my hand from her cheek and looked away to think of a way to calm her without having to actually lie.

"I'll have to judge the situation when it gets here. I can't promise anything Darlin'. If I feel he's a danger to you, a warning will not suffice." _And I will always feel that he's a danger to you, _I added silently.

"I know. All I can ask is that you consider other options. Obviously you'll know best what has to be done. I trust you completely."

Shit! Only she could undermine my every thought and conviction with just a sentence or two. That damn trust that she so innocently and foolishly placed in me, the same trust that helped me believe I could control my urges and my destiny, was now being used to reach deep inside me and wrench out some remnants of human emotions that died with Major Whitlock a century and a half ago. It had been ridiculous for me as a human to be so trusting of three women I found wandering along a deserted road and tried to help despite my feelings of unease, and it would be just as foolish for me now to trust a nomadic vampire on the prowl. But she trusted me to make the right decision, which mean that I had to at least consider the alternatives. I did not want to do this, didn't want to have to make a call that could back-fire at a later time. I actually had to hope that by the time I found him the fucker had killed a human, so that no thinking would be necessary.

"Thank you," I said, "that means a lot," and it did. It meant more than she would ever know. But I had to get her off this tangent. "So back to the rules. One, familiar places only; Two, use the phone; Three, scream."

She was surprised and skeptical. I had to explain that her sound would have to alert me when I wasn't able to see her. I felt her fear again at the realization that she would not be within my sights the entire time, but then the fear turned into resentment and indecision. I hoped these feelings weren't about me, but I didn't have the balls to ask her, knowing I wouldn't be able to handle it if they were. For the umpteenth time I questioned my decision to try to handle this problem on my own. Would my decision to keep her isolated, even for a week, backfire and turn her against me? But what was the alternative? I was convinced bringing in the Cullens could have a similarly disastrous effect. I simply had to go with my gut instinct and hope for the best. And for now, I had to distract her.

"Bella, since I probably won't be able to come back here until I deal with Laurent, I need to get some things together. I was hoping I could store them in your truck, since I will be near your house whenever you're there. Is that all right?"

I explained that I needed to gather up some of my things since I wouldn't be able to return to the house while I was guarding her, and she was all right with that, even when I asked her to accompany me upstairs to the room I had shared with Alice. I could feel her anxiety rising as we ascended the steps, and I knew this would be extremely difficult for her. Still, I could not afford to leave her unprotected and I needed to pack things that were in that room. As much as I wanted to spare her this pain, there just wasn't any way around it.

I felt it as soon as we stepped inside: the guilt, self-doubt, and fear. Not the fear for her personal safety this time but a different fear, a fear of loss, probably of losing me. Most likely of losing me to Alice.

I was frustratingly impotent in the face of these feelings. I had just confessed my own feelings to her last night, so I hadn't had any time to convince her and show her that she has turned into the most important person in the world to me, eclipsing everything and everyone else in my life. The easiest way to do it now would be to ask her to let me share my feelings with her directly, but I knew that made her uncomfortable and it felt like a cop out for me as well. I wanted to make her feel wonderful about herself just by demonstrating how much she meant to me, without using any special powers. Of course that would take time, time we haven't had yet. So for now, she was suffering, and I suffered along with her. The only thing I could do was to gather my shit as quickly as possible to shorten the time we had to spend in this room.

In an effort to distract herself, Bella began asking me questions about all the electronic equipment I was gathering. I humored her by explaining my plans to set up a charging station at her house, and was amused to sense her feelings change to that of admiration. Sometimes she made things too easy for me, gave me entirely too much credit. I knew that would all change when she became a vampire and understood the true workings of our multi-faceted minds. In the meantime, though, this idolatry she displayed was entirely too dangerous for my ego.

I only had one more thing to do before we could head back downstairs.

"Bella, these clothes might be a little too dressy for vampire hunting, so I'm going to change. I'll just be in the bathroom and I'll keep the door ajar. Please stay here, all right?" I knew I was being too forward, but the door had to stay open to shorten my reaction time in case of a sudden attack, and she had to stay in the room so I could get to her in time if need be.

"Sure," she said quietly as I noticed the change in her demeanor. Blood rushed to her cheeks and throughout the rest of her body and she exhibited signs of arousal that would have been virtually unnoticeable to humans, but were clear to my heightened senses. I immediately realized that she was reacting to the idea of me disrobing practically in the same room, and the knowledge shot through me to like and electrical current. God, I loved how responsive she was to just the idea of me being near her naked. I could only imagine how much better it would be when we were finally able to be together, writhing and intertwined, making sweet, passionate love. I couldn't help it. I had to be closer to her, to touch her, to let her know I felt the same way without scaring her too much. I ghosted over to her and lifted her chin so I could gaze into her gorgeous eyes.

"You are so beautiful, Bella," I said with total conviction, stroking her smooth cheek and willing her to believe me, "And that blush drives me to distraction. I can't manifest it as easily as you can without embarrassing us both, but believe me, thinking of you has a similar effect on me." I couldn't quite be so crass as to outright tell her how hard just thinking about her and being near her made me and how much self-control I was exercising today to spare here the embarrassment of witnessing that very reaction right now. Hopefully the subtle hint would be enough.

I knew that she understood my meaning when she blushed again and closed the distance between us, burying her face in my chest. Just as suddenly I felt a wave of mortification hit her and she stepped away from me. I guessed she was worried about provoking my arousal, and I laughed good naturedly.

"It's all right, Bella," I whispered in her ear, delighting in the shivers that ran through her body. "I've had many years to master that aspect of my self control. You're perfectly safe around me, at least as long as you want to be." I imitated Groucho Marx with my eyebrows to inject some levity into the sexual tension, while inwardly cursing myself as a liar. I knew damn well that just the day before I had been completely unable to control myself with her on several occasions, and that it was by sheer luck that she didn't become aware of my slip ups. She was still perfectly safe, of course, I would never force her or any other woman to do something she was not prepared for, but my mastery of that aspect of my self control clearly needed work as well.

"Just go change, already," she said laughing while fruitlessly trying to push me towards the bathroom.

"Wow, Bella," I teased, "If only I knew sooner how eager you were to get me out of my clothes." _And if you only knew how eager I was to get you out of yours_! My mind wondered back to the little strip tease she put on when she didn't know I was watching outside her window, but I snapped myself back, knowing nothing good could some from those kinds of thoughts right now.

"Give me a break. It's not like you're going to put on a show."

Her sarcasm was my undoing. Suddenly I felt like pushing the boundaries.

"Not unless you want me to," I said seductively, pulling my shirt from the waistband of my pants and undoing the top button. Hell, yes, I wanted to get her hot and bothered. I wanted to get her so excited I'd be able to smell that musky scent oozing from her core. Unfortunately, and completely inadvertently, she messed up my plans.

"If you don't quit that, I'm going back downstairs." I knew she was joking, yet the subject matter wasn't funny. I couldn't take the chance – I had to make sure she stayed in the room. Which meant I had to turn stern and serious and ask her once again to stay while I dashed off to change.

As I was disrobing and stepping into the outfit better suited for outdoor surveillance, I felt her overwhelming fear, and cursed myself for having forced her to experience that again. I was done and back by her side in seconds, but not before she could start tracing that damned permanent reminder of James, the one I had been too fucking late to prevent. I gathered her in my arms and offered the only reassurance I could.

"No one will ever get close enough to you to do that again," I promised. "Not as long as I'm around to do anything about it." This was one promise I was hell bent and determined to keep, because nothing mattered more than keeping safe the woman I loved.

**Chapters 37, 40 and 54 in JPOV coming soon! **


	3. AN: Update on Outtakes & Sequels

**SEQUEL AND OUTTAKE UPDATE (9-22-09): **

I know I promised to post the Jasper POV chapters of Golden Moon this summer, and that I have failed to live up to that promise. All I can do is offer everyone my most sincere apologies. Although I fully intended to take the summer off, I actually got sucked into another writing project which has taken up all of my time and attention. And, unfortunately, I am one of those writers who can only do one thing at a time, which means that the JPOV chapters and the sequels to Golden Moon will have to wait until my current project is done.

Right now I envisioning finishing my current project by the end of January, 2010. After that, I will work on the JPOV chapters first, and then on the sequel to Golden Moon: **I, Newton: Chronicles of a Newborn Vampire**. (At least that's the current working title.) After I finish the Chronicles I will start on the second sequel to Golden Moon, which will, once again, focus on Bella and Jasper.

Again, I am very sorry for the delay and I thank you for your patience. I swear I have not abandoned this story or the characters -- just placed them a bit of a longer hiatus.


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